When did you make the time to declutter your books? If you’re like me, I’m tipping it hasn’t been recently.

Declutter your books

Declutter your books in 5 easy steps.

When your books start to build up and create clutter on your bookshelves, bedside table or book shelves its time to declutter. So here’s 5 steps to help make the process of decluttering your books easier.

Set time aside to declutter your books.

You need to set designated time aside if you want to declutter any space. If you don’t have an hour, then just allocate 10 or 15 minutes and don’t stop till the time is up. Just remember though, once you have culled and decluttered your book shelve, bundle the books up ready to be dropped off (also set a date by which they must be dropped off). If you only have 10 or 15 minutes for a declutter session, then also make sure you set yourself a goal as to when you want to have the entire book shelve decluttered.

One shelf at a time.

Like any declutter project you need to start small. So in this instance when you are decluttering your book shelf, start decluttering one shelve at a time. Work from the top down. And if they are spilling out onto the floor, then that is the best place to start your declutter.

Will you really read it again?

I know myself, I had a heap of books that I was never going to read again. So I decided it was time to clear the clutter and let go. With any decluttering that you do, maximum impact is made when you can let go of more items. Plus, it is so much easier to organise and style a book shelve that is not jam packed with books. So keep that in mind with you when you start your declutter.

Why are you keeping those books anyway?

I realised that I was keeping a heap of my old university books. Why? I think it was because of all the memories that they brought back. But the reality was, I was never going to use my Macro Economics book again (I hated the subject then and my opinion has not changed), so why was a keeping it, so they had to go. Declutter and be gone!

Declutter your books and donate.

Feel good about decluttering your books by donating them to someone who can use them. I recently did a declutter for a client and we donated books that were in very good condition to her local library. The library then sold the books and used the money to buy more books.

I don’t know about you, but I find it easy to run late if I’m not organised.

I worked with a client recently to help her get organised. Her biggest gripe was that she was always running late. Late to work. Late to pick up the kids. Late to visit friends. Late with dinner. And she wanted to fix this problem.

I know myself, if I’m not organised then I am guaranteed to run late. So I could totally understand where she was coming from. So here’s my tips to help you get out the door, on time, every time.

Planning

It all comes down to planning. It doesn’t have to be military precision, but the more planning you do, the more likely you will be on time. Plus, the more kids you have, the more planning you need to do. So for example, if you know you are going somewhere tomorrow morning, then work out:

What time you need to leave to get their on time.

Consider if you need to allow extra time to park or if you will hit peak hour or school traffic.

Do you need to get petrol on the way?

Then allow an extra 10 minutes, as a buffer. So if you had planned on leaving at 9.15am aim to be in the car at 9.05am. Easy!

Communicate

If you are taking the kids then ensure they know what is expected of them in the morning. Explain the night before, that they will need to be up at a set time in the morning.

Allow extra time

As I mentioned above, factor in a 10 minute buffer zone. I’ve got little kids and it never fails that as soon as you are ready to get in the car, they do a poo. So their nappy needs to be changed. And, if you’ve got big kids, they still need to be managed too.

How long does it take to do one’s hair?

I mean really!

Do you really need to be snap chatting or texting at 8am in the morning!

Most teenage kids only know one pace. Dawdle!

Plus some kids are just not morning risers. So you need to plan for this. Explain the night before what the deal is. What time they will need to be up in the morning. And then stay one step ahead of them by calling them 15 minutes earlier than required.

Organise your clothes the night before

Each night I work out what I am going to be wearing for the following day. It’s out, ironed and ready to go. Then, there’s no procrastinating in the morning about what to wear. If you want to be super organised, plan your wardrobe on Sunday. Iron and hang it some separate so you are organised for the entire week. Easy!

I do this for my kids as well. So, then I’m not running around trying to find their clothes in the morning. Plus it avoids arguments.

If they are at the stage where they want to dress themselves, then get them involved. Get them to choose their own clothes the night before. There’s nothing worse in the morning. You’re now running late. You’re screening at the kids to get in the car and you realise your daughter is dressed like a bumble bee!

Don’t waste time looking for lost keys

Have one spot where your keys and phone get put. Perhaps you need to hang a hook inside the front door. Or set up a “drop zone” somewhere in your house where your keys and phone are put religiously.

Is it in the top draw in the kitchen? A bowl setting on the bench. Or on the hallway table. Basically whatever works for your home!

Get up 15 minutes earlier than planned

I find this really useful, especially if you have to get kids organised to. Get up, get yourself organised and perhaps even have your breakfast first. You want to avoid shoving cold toast in your mouth as you run out the door…running late again!

The Lifestylers Group is a professional organising and decluttering service, based in Melbourne and assisting clients in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

We spend enough time in there so why not make our bedroom clutter free, organised and stylish. Here’s 10 ways to add glamour to your bedroom and they won’t cost a fortune either. Plus, with the change in seasons, it’s the perfect time to declutter and organise your bedroom, add some pops of colour and freshen up the space.

1. Add a gorgeous headboard

Check out these gorgeous padded bedheads. Elegant and distinctive they come in a range of great colours and totally change a drab bed into a fab one in know time at all. Check out:

2. Beautiful bed linen

You simply cannot go past the feeling of beautiful soft linen. You know that feeling when you stay at a luxury hotel and you climb into bed and go “ahha””. 1000 thread count all the way for me! If you plan your shopping well, buy your new linen when it’s on sale so it won’t cost a fortune either.

3. Add texture with a beautiful throw

Organised Bedroom

A quick and easy way to change the look and feel of your bedroom is with a throw. They come in so many different colours and textures; a throw rug immediately adds depth to any bed. Plus it provides extra warmth on those cold winter nights.

4. Cushions, cushions and more cushions

My husband will tell you that I a mad for cushions. They just finish off a bed. Yes, you do need to take them off the bed of a night so you can sleep, but so what. They look great and finish off the perfect bed.

5. Add flowers

Beautiful Bedrooms

Fresh flowers add a lovely touch to any bedroom. It’s a cost effective way to add some style and brighten up any bedroom.

6. Mirror mirror on the wall

Beautiful Bedroom Mirrors

Mirrors help to create the illusion of space in any room. They also add depth and an element of light in your bedroom. As a tip, be sure to check what sort of hook you will need to hang your wall mirror with.

Image credit: www.houzz.com.au

7. Burn a candle

Beautiful bedrooms

These days their are so many amazing scented candles and diffusers that create beautiful aromas. Perfect for helping you to relax and ease into the perfect night’s sleep.

Image credit: http://lyfestyled.com.au

8. Rug up

Bedroom rugs

Add depth to your bedroom by including a floor rug. They come in so many amazing colours and styles, you are sure to find something to fit your style and décor.

Image credit: http://www.zgallerie.com/

9. Pretty as a picture

Beautiful bedrooms

Hanging pretty wall art, or pictures adds personality to any room. You can get some beautiful frames and images that will suit any room. Go for gold or silver, or keep it neutral or white, or make a statement with black.

10. Clear the clutter

Clear the clutter and surround yourself with meaningful objects. Create a peaceful and relaxing place perfect for rest and rejuvenation. Have you got too much stuff sitting on your bedside table? Is your chest of draws full of things that you never use? Are clothes just dumped on the floor?

Their is nothing better than waking up in the morning to a clutter free bedroom. Commit to do a quick clean up every morning when you are making your bed and that way, clutter will never build up.

These 10 tips for planning the perfect kid’s party cover off on the key things you need to address when organising a kids birthday party. So good luck with planning your little munchkins party.

Set your budget

Organising the perfect kids party

Image credit: blog.hwtm.com

Remember, it’s a birthday party not an 18th or a 21st birthday party.

Some people love big extravagant party’s and some don’t. It really comes down to you, your family and your budget. The key is to not put yourself under too much pressure. It’s also worthwhile to keep in mind that if you do an amazing party this year, you may feel the pressure to repeat it again next year. I have found that the first born seems to get the amazing party and then the second child misses out. I know that we had a really big party for our first daughters first birthday then had a lower key party for my second child (and I felt a bit guilty about it).

2. Set the date and time

Kids Birthday Party Ideas

Image credit: http://karaspartyideas.com/

Set the party date early as everyone seems to live such busy lives these days that it’s good to give as much notice as possible. Plus, depending on the age of your child you may need to consider any sporting commitments the kids may have.

3. Select the venue

Kids birthday party

Image credit: pinterest / http://www.burlapandblue.com/

Now you need to decide if you are having your party at home or at a venue. Both have their pros and cons. If you want a smaller party, then having it at home is perfect. Plus, it often motivates you to do a bit of spring cleaning and decluttering in preparation for the big day.

It’s amazing how the garden improves and the windows get washed when you have a party, so you can benefit from all this extra cleaning after the party has been and gone.

However, if you want a bigger party where you can just walk in and it’s all set up, you might need to find an external venue such as a play centre, sporting facility or function room. Just remember that most venues will charge a room hire to use their room, which adds to the cost of the party. You will most likely have to pay for venue staff and possibly use their food or choice of caterers. So, if you want to bring in your own food or use your choice of caterer be sure to ask these questions before you book.

The other thing to remember is that their will be a set time at which point you must be out of the venue by. You will also need to check how early you can get access to the venue to set up. If you are having an elaborate theme and setup, you will need to ensure you negotiate an early access time to the venue.

4. Planning the menu

Party Food

Image credit: pinterest / jacqy918.tumblr.com

For a first birthday, let’s be honest it’s mostly about the parents, however if you have older kids then you will definitely need some party food too. If you are doing it yourself, select food that can be prepared the day before and only needs to be heated up on the day. Food like:

mini quiches

sausage rolls

chicken balls and

risotto balls

Can all be made ahead of time taking the pressure off you on the day. Then, you just need to reheat them on the day.

The last thing you want is to be stuck in the kitchen all day when you have got guests. To make it a bit easier you might even decide to purchase some of the food off a caterer which means you only need to make some of the food and not all of it.

You will also need to consider if there is any special dietary requirements that you need to cater for. You need to be really careful about nuts and allergies these days.

5. The birthday cake

Kids Birthday Cake

Image credit: Pinterest / projectnursery.com

Will you make or buy the birthday cake? If you are buying it, most places need a couple of weeks’ notice. Also, keep in mind that the more detailed cake design you have, the more notice they will need.

If you are making the cake, do you need to do a trial run a couple of weeks before the big day? I wish I had with my son’s birthday. He had a Peter Rabbit themed party and I had seen a cake that I wanted to recreate. I made the cake which turned out perfectly, however I couldn’t get the right coloured blue food die to match the picture I had. I then had to go and buy a different coloured blue at the last minute because when I mixed it up, it wasn’t the right colour. This is something that I would not have known until I started mixing the colour.

Write a list of all the things you might need for the cake:

Do you need to buy a special cake tin?

Have you got all the ingredients for the cake?

What sort of icing are you going to have?

Have you got the right coloured candles and plate to put the cake on?

Do you need any cake decorating equipment?

Do you need to buy sugar flowers, ribbon etc.?

You will definitely need to consider all of these things if you are going to make the cake.

6. Design your invitations

Kids Birthday Card

Image credit: https://www.paperdivas.com.au

How do you want to invite your guests? Are you keeping it simple and will you just call or email your guests? Or do you want to design and mail out invitations to match the theme of the party?

Consider if you need to also have printed: matching

Envelopes (Don’t forget your stamps either)

Thank you cards

Stickers for drinks, food signage and goodie bags.

If you are having them printed, you will need to allow time for printing and mailing. Check also if they supply matching envelopes or if you need to purchase envelopes seperately.

If you want printed invitations, check out these websites. They are easy to use and you can quickly create great invitations that can be printed off, or they can print them for you.

Now is the time to also check and make sure you have everyone’s addresses. If you want to get really organised you could type the addresses up in Excel, then do a mail merge and print off the address labels. This is really useful if you plan on sending out thank notes or using the addresses again to send Christmas cards to.

Guest list
With your guest list you will want to keep a record of who you’ve invited to the party, as well as who has RSVPed and any special meal requests they might have. Keep in mind that big is not always best.

7. Choose your theme

Now the fun begins. Time to decided on your colour scheme and theme for the party.

Party Theme

Pinterest / birthdaygirlblog.com

10 tips for planning the perfect kid’s party

Image credit: http://myperfectevent.com.au

8. Manners

I am a big one for manners. Now is the perfect time to remind your child about the importance of thanking their guest for any presents they may bring. Plus, making sure that no kids are left out from the activities and looking after their little guests is important too.

9. Clean out the toys

With a birthday party comes lots of new toys. So I use this time to do a big clean out of old and broken toys or toys that the kids have grown out of. Otherwise, you just end up with the biggest pile of toys that you then need to keep tidy and organised.

10. Runsheet

As a former event manager I LOVE a run sheet. I cannot help myself. I do a run sheet that lists when everything is happening and who is doing it. It helps me to keep organised, not miss anything and on schedule. It should list all of the tasks that need to be done prior to the party as well as on the day.

Don’t make these 4 mistakes when decluttering. If you keep motivated and inspired you will achieve great results. Make sure you have a plan and keep focused on the job at hand. Their is nothing more rewarding than standing back and admiring your work, once the job is done. I often find myself going back to a cupboard that I have organised, opening the doors and having a quick peek in to see my decluttering effort.

1. You don’t think there is a problem

Time to declutter and organise your wardrobe

You have become so use to living in a mess that it has become normal. It doesn’t worry you anymore that the dining room table is full of papers and stuff. You cannot see the office floor because of all the paperwork lying around but that is fine because you have just become accustom to it. You get frustrated when you go to get dressed for work because you cannot find anything, but that’s just normal now because it happens every morning.

2. You procrastinate

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the job at hand and just not do anything because you don’t know where to start. If you are struggling then perhaps book the services of a declutter expert to help you. It’s amazing how motivated you become once you know someone is coming to your house to go through your wardrobe!!

3. You don’t have a plan

To do list

You need a vision if you are going to get anywhere. Often clients stand at the door to the room and because they don’t know where to start, they simply close the door again.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed so having a plan or a vision is essential. I always ask clients how they visualize the room once it has been decluttered. It helps them to get inspired and motivated about the declutter process plus they have a goal to work towards.

I also recommend decluttering one shelve at a time. Start small, work through that area then start on the next one. Use these 4 categories as a guide to help you group declutter and group items.

Keep

Cull (throw)

Donate

Repair.

4. You lose motivation

Declutter and get organised

It’s easy to lose motivation especially if you cannot see much of an impact in the room you have been working in.

Decluttering can be a big job especially if you have a room full of stuff. If you are decluttering an office it can be much harder than decluttering a wardrobe because you physically have to inspect each piece of paper in case it relates to tax. Where as you can make a big impact in a wardrobe in a small amount of time by simply throwing out a couple of big, bulky items. Therefore, it’s important to remind yourself that your mess that may have been building up over a number of months or years, is not going to disappear in a matter of minutes. It might take a couple of hours or even a couple of days to see a difference.

It might also be a good idea to get a declutter expert to help you. They make you accountable and they can give you work to do in-between visits. We often give our clients “homework “to do before we come back and see them again. It helps our clients stay motivated because they have a deadline to work towards.

The Lifestylers Group can work with you to declutter and organise any part of your house: the kitchen, pantry, home office, bedrooms or garage.

The laundry is often a small space so having it well organised is essential. So that often means looking at utilising some creative storage solutions to help maximise the space you have. I hope that these 8 ways to organise your laundry give you some inspiration.

8 ways to organise your laundry

1. Go vertical – put shelves or cupboards above your bench

By putting shelves above your bench you can create more storage space. They can be easily fixed to the wall by a handyman and can store things like cleaning product, toilet rolls and towels. It’s a great solution to help organise your laundry.

Organise my laundry with shelves

Organise my laundry with cupboards

Image credit: houz Image credit: onenuttygirl.com

2. Go for front loading appliances

If you stack your front loading washing machine on top of your dryer you can save valuable space.

3. Bench space and more bench space

Place your front loader washing machine and dryer side by side under your bench top. This creates extra bench space and provides room for you to fold and organise your clothes. This helps avoids the dining room table from becoming a dumping ground for clothes and keeps your laundry organised too.

Organised laundry

Image credit: lizmarieblog.com

4. Organise your laundry baskets

Most people will do a load of whites, then a load of colours and then a load of dark clothing. You can set up this system by using 3 different baskets. Clearly label each one with the category. Now all you have to do is get the kids (and hubby) to put their clothes in the right basket when they take them off. (Which could be more challenging than you think!).

5. Drying lines are great

Install a drying line, such as a rail, or a fold down or retractable drying line in your laundry. They take up very little space and are the perfect solution for drying clothes during winter. They help keep wet laundry out of the living room and keep everything organised in one spot.

6. Create extra storage under your washing machine

Yes, that’s right. These units are perfect if you have a front loader washing machine. Your front loader washing machine sits on the unit. Not only does it lift up your washing machine making bending over and putting clothes in easy, but it also provides valuable storage space as well in a small laundry. This clever stand features a heavy duty steel construction. It also has a lockable child proof sliding drawer and adjustable locking feet that make it safe and sturdy, especially if there are kids in the house.

Another solution to help keep your laundry organised is to have a custom made storage solution like this one built. If you need some assistance to help organise your laundry, then we can help organise it.

7 ways to organise your laundry

Image credit: ana-white.com

7. Give your laundry some personality

Just because it’s your laundry doesn’t mean that you cannot have some fun and decorate the space.

8. Doors and more space

Maximise the hidden space behind the door with these clever storage solutions that will help organise your laundry.

Your laundry organised

Image source: thefrugalhomemaker.com

Image source: hometalk.com

8 ways to organise my laundry

Image source: indulgy.com

I hope that I have given you some inspiration with 8 ways to organise your laundry. However, if you are still struggling to organise your laundry, then contact The Lifestylers Group. Since 2005 we have been helping to organise every room in the home – the kitchen, office, laundry and bedrooms and have a wealth of ideas and knowledge to share. Based in Melbourne, our professional organising service can also assist in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

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Your own dedicated private personal assistant / Butler can visit your home weekly, monthly or as required and assist you.

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Home and Office Organising and DeclutteringDeclutter and Home Organisation

The Lifestylers Group is your organising & decluttering experts. Since 2005, we have helped thousands of people to get more organised, clutter free and become more time efficient. As professional organisers we organise, declutter and sort homes, home offices and businesses.

We have a fantastic team of professional organisers, all of whom specialise in different areas of organising. You work with a dedicated professional organiser who works with you, one-on-one to help you organise your space.

We can also provide a whole suite of organising services to help you get organised. We don't just do the decluttering and organising, we also show you some some practical tips so you can maintain the space and keep things organised after we leave.

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Moving house and need complete relocation assistance. We offer extensive relocation services to ensure the transit into your new home runs smoothly.

One phone call to us and your entire relocation is organised. We will organise a range of proven and trusted suppliers i.e. removalists, carpet and house cleaners, maintenance, rubbish removal etc for your move.

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Extensive “after move services” including our private personal assistant service / butler can provide valuable ongoing support to you and your family.